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Chapter 2

“Dad, why don’t you call them?” James was quite eager to meet the Dursleys.

“I was thinking exactly the same…” before Harry could finish his sentence they were interrupted by a huge barn owl that they did not recognize.

The owl stood on the window with one leg raised. There was a letter attached to it. Harry went to the owl and untied the letter and opened it and read.

“Who is it from mate?” Ron came up to Harry.

Ron and Hermione with their kids had come over and were still in the room when Harry told everyone about the Dursleys.

Harry handed Ron the letter and he read it out loud for everyone’s benefit.

The letter read:

“So?” Ron looked questioningly at Harry.

“I will have to go get her, won’t I?” Harry asked no one in particular but bestowed a questioning glance each to Ginny, Hermione and Ron.

“Yes. Let’s go.” It was James again.

“Keep quiet James.” Ginny told her son rather strictly.

“But Mum…”

“Let your Dad decide.”

Once she had made her son take a seat and be quiet, she turned towards her husband.

“Do you want to?” Ginny asked while Harry understood her to mean that does Harry want to be in the place again that he had so wanted to run away from.

“It is not as if you have to stay there for ever. It is just going to be a tiny visit.”

Before Ginny could say anything Hermione came to her husband’s defense.

“I think Ron’s right. It is Anne that needs to come first right now. You have promised her!” She emphasized on the word promise.

Harry looked at Ginny and she nodded.

“Then I’d better be off.” He said to the room at large.

“How are you going? He says no brooms.” Ron asked.

“I ll apparate.” Harry told them what he had decided.

“Dad?” James piped in again.

Harry looked at his son who has not spoken a word since he was told off by his mother.

“Can I come along? I have always wanted to see a Muggle house.” Harry realized that his son was pleading and a fountain of love erupted in him.

“You are coming with me.” He smiled at the glow he saw on his son’s face.

After half an hour, Harry stood facing the door of Privet Drive No. 4. James pushed the door bell and they waited.

Dudley opened the door and,

“Ah, Harry. I just got your letter. Come in.”

They all went in and sat in the Sitting Room. As soon as they were seated, a girl came running down the stairs, the very stairs under whose cupboard Harry had spent 11 years of his life.

“Uncle Harry, how are you? I have been waiting for you since Dad said he has to go for a Business trip.”

“Mary Anne?” James asked his father.

“Yes,” said Harry and then faced Anne, “And this James.”

After a while, with Anne’s backpack ready and on Harry’s back, they were ready to set off for Godric’s Hollow.

The two weeks that Anne spent with the Potters (and at times with the Weasleys) she learnt all they could tell her about the Wizarding World (while leaving somethings for Hogwarts to teach her the rest). She went to the Diagon Alley, through the Leaky Couldron, and did her shopping. It was still that same fascination for an 11 year old who had found out her true identity. Mary Anne along with James, Albus and Rose bought her books from Flourish and Blotts, her school robes from Madam Malkins, potion ingredients from the Apothecary. Then they headed towards Ollivander’s where the three who had to start school soon bought their wands.

Harry found Mr Ollivander to be still the same. A person one could not really like. While finding these three the right wands, the wands that would choose them, he reminisced about the past.

After around 2 hours when Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione with all the children left the shop they had three more brown packages with them.

The wands that favoured these young magical people are as follows:

Albus was chosen by a Pheonix Feather Willow wand that was 12 1/2 inches long.

Rose followed in her mother’s footsteps and went for an Abyssinian cat.

Rose’s Cat

Anne liked cats a lot but favoured an owl because she could not remain in contact with her family otherwise. She bought a Burrowing Owl.

Anne’s Burrowing Owl

With their shopping in place they went to The Burrow where a delicious meal awaited them (cooked by Mrs Weasley). The entire Wealey family was present there and Anne was introduced to everyone. During lunch Anne talked animatedly with Mr Weasley.

With one week remaining for school to begin, Anne went back home (with all her shopping).

On the 31st of August when Ginny was shouting her lungs out at James to pack his trunk, Harry went to Al’s room.

Al had just hopped into bed after packing his trunk.

“Are you up Al?” asked Harry softly.

“Yes Dad.” His son replied.

“Okay if I sit in here for a while?”

“Sure,” Al was happy that his father was beside him. “Will you tell me a story?”

“You want to listen to one?”

Albus nodded.

Harry sat on his son’s bed and told him the story of the three brothers (first told by Beedle the Bard). After he completed the story he told his son about how The Cloak of Invisibility existed and what he had used it for when at school. Harry took something out of his Cloak and handed it his son.

“This is for you. And Use it well.” Harry smiled.

Al jumped out from the bed and opened his trunk to stuff the Cloak inside in case he forgot it at home.